Aftermath
by Airhead259
Summary: Post-LR. Lightning and Hope set out on a journey to find their friends.
1. Chapter 1

_I started writing this about a month after LR came out in Japan. I'd watched the livestreams in Japanese and I was still reeling after watching the ending, so I decided to write down my feelings, which eventually evolved into this fic. This is yet another post-LR story; one that I've slowly been expanding on for a while now. It's more like a really long story divided into separate chapters, so there may be some abrupt cut-offs (though I'll try my best to keep those to a minimum). And it's centred around Lightning and Hope (yes, again) because I love writing about them and their partnership. Please enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy XIII or its characters._

* * *

Aftermath: Chapter 1

A cool breeze greeted her as she stepped out of the train, playing with the strands of hair against her cheek. With a soft smile, she brushed them away and took in the sight before her. A dirt path extended as far as her eyes could see, flanked by vast plantations on either side. In the distance she saw rolling hills that met the sky at the horizon. _'This is a new journey…'_ she thought to herself as she stepped forward.

She followed the path for what seemed like an eternity, thinking about her previous life, before she was the Savior of Souls or Etro's Knight. When she had been just Lightning, a soldier serving in the Guardian Corps. Back then, she had never taken the time to appreciate her surroundings. The seaside town of Bodhum had been a popular tourist attraction even without the fireworks and festivals, but she never once walked around the town without a purpose. _'I guess I was just that kind of person…always charging forward without a second thought. Back then, it seemed like I never had enough time to do anything.'_

She smiled. _'But now, I have all the time in the world.'_

Eventually, the path came to a stop in front of a wooden gate. Beyond it stood a modest house, painted blue and white. A single car stood in the driveway, parked in front of a garage. She looked down at the gate and saw a sign – the faded lettering read _Estheim Residence_. Acknowledging that she was at the right place, she opened the gate and stepped inside. She walked up to the door, rang the doorbell once and waited.

A minute later, she heard the click of a lock and the door swung open to reveal a middle-aged woman. Her hair was white, though not due to her age, and her green eyes seemed to sparkle.

"Hello," she greeted with a smile. "We don't often get visitors. May I know why you're here?"

The gentle look in her eyes when she smiled was all-too-familiar. Before Lightning could stop herself, she said, "You're Nora Estheim, aren't you?"

The woman before her seemed surprised. "Yes, that's me. Though I don't think we've met before…" she raised a hand to her chin, trying to remember. Lightning shook her head.

"No, we haven't met, but I know your son. He-" She bit her lip. "He and I worked together, in a sense."

Nora Estheim's eyes lit up. "Ah! Then you must be Lightning!"

It was her turn to be surprised. "…how did you…?"

"He talks about you and some other friends of his from time to time. The way he describes her and the way you carry yourself…you both seem like the type my son would look up to."

This time, Lightning smiled and held out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Estheim. I used to be known as Lightning, but my name is Claire Farron. Please, call me Claire."

Nora shook her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, too," she replied, her grin widening. "I'll go get Hope, please wait right here."

Lightning nodded as the woman walked off. Knowing that Hope still spoke of her warmed her heart. She could almost picture the boy's reaction upon seeing her standing at his doorstep, him running towards her and looking up at her with a smile on his face.

But she did not get what she expected. Instead of a fourteen year old boy, a young man approached the door. His gaze was directed towards the floor, and he seemed dazed, almost as if he had just woken up. However, when he looked up and saw her, his eyes lit up instantly. He began walking faster and before she knew it, Lightning was caught in an embrace.

"…Lightning? I-is it really you?"

She placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away slightly. He was taller than her now, she noted, but his expression was familiar.

"You of all people should know I don't like being hugged," she chided, and he let go almost instantly. Before he could begin to apologize, however, she smiled. "But this time I'll make an exception. It's good to see you again, Hope."

"L-likewise," he responded, apparently still in shock. Within moments he composed himself. "Why don't you come in and sit down?" he offered, stepping aside. She nodded and followed him into the house, to a sitting room filled with family artefacts. She seated herself on one of the white sofas in the middle of the room. Hope sat down across from her and leaned forward, resting his chin on his clasped hands.

"So I hear you're a researcher now," she said simply.

He nodded. "I've worked as a part-time research assistant at some universities…but how did you know?"

"Serah," she replied simply. "A few days ago she found out that you were once a research assistant at the university she teaches at."

He looked surprised, but then lowered his gaze to the table between them. "I suppose that explains why I didn't find her first. I don't really look at staff records…"

"I think it was a lucky break on her part," Lightning added. "It seems like Serah's gift as a Seeress carried over into this world as intuition. She even found Snow just a few months after we both arrived in this world together. I've been living with the two of them ever since."

"And...what about the others?"

"We tracked down Noel and Yeul. They owned a flower shop back in the city, and Serah was eager to meet them. They seemed happy."

Hope smiled. "So now there are five less people for me to worry about," he joked. But Lightning knew that there was truth behind his words. '_He really has been worried for all of us...'_

"Serah also managed to locate Sazh."She paused. _'Serah has managed to accomplish so much in this world, but I…' _She pushed the thought away and continued. "He's a pretty well-known mechanic, and he works at a shop some hours from here by train. I figured everyone else couldn't be too far away, either."

At the mention of Sazh, Hope's smile had grown. Lightning could understand how he felt - he had looked up to the man as a father figure.

"So you set out to look for us, and I was the closest, huh?" he asked.

"…you were, but that wasn't the only reason why I came here first." This time he met her eyes, his gaze curious. She sighed. "The truth is…I'd like you to come with me. To look for the others."

"…_me_?" The surprise was evident in his tone.

She nodded. "Yeah…or at least that's what I _was_ thinking. But now, I've realized…" she shook her head and clenched her fists in her lap. "I've been selfish."

"What do you mean?" She looked up and saw him watching her, a determined look in his eyes. It seemed like he would not look away until he got an answer. She sighed again.

"When we arrived in this world, Serah and I were together. I assumed that the others would be as well, Fang and Vanille, Sazh and his son, Noel and Yeul. So when I found out about Sazh, I didn't think it would be practical for me to tear him away from his son."

"But I was selfish," she repeated. "I assumed that you would be free from obligations, and eager to come along with me. I didn't stop to think for even a moment that you would have your own life, with your family."She looked away, avoiding his eyes. "I'm sorry, Hope."

"…you don't need to apologise, Light," Upon hearing her old nickname, she glanced at him again. _'It really has been a while since someone called me that…'_

"I don't want to tear you away from your family, either," she said, her tone insistent. "And…just now, when I suggested it, you seemed pretty shocked."

He seemed to realise that she had misunderstood something, because he shook his head firmly. "No, that was…I was just surprised, that's all. We worked together in Nova Chrysalia, but from what I remember, you always preferred to work alone."

"I did…" _'And maybe, in some ways, I still do.'_ "But I'm willing to make an exception."

This time, Hope laughed. "You seem to be doing that a lot today," he teased, ignoring her death glare. "But I'd be glad to come along. It'll be good to see everyone again, if we do find them."

He stood up, and Lightning took that as her cue to stand up as well. "You're sure?" she asked, somewhat hesitantly.

"Of course. And besides," he continued, holding out his hand. "You and I are still partners, right?"

She distantly remembered the time she had said the same words to him. With a smile, she took his hand and shook it firmly. "Right."

xxxxx

Hope's mother insisted that she stay for lunch, and she could not help but oblige the woman and her warm smile. Bartholomew Estheim joined them at the table. Although he was surprised at first, he acknowledged her presence with a nod that held a deeper meaning behind it. _'Thank you for taking care of my son.'_

Eating with a family was something she had not experienced in years. It was different when she ate with Serah and Snow – with them, she felt like she belonged. And although she didn't feel unwelcome at the Estheim residence, something made her feel like an outsider, almost as though she was sitting in on something private. Still, Lightning could not help but smile as she watched Nora tease her son when he refused a second helping. Even Bartholomew let out a laugh at his son's protests as Nora heaped a huge helping onto his plate.

_'__Although it feels different, it's still…fun.'_

xxxxx

When Lightning finally stepped onto the front porch, streaks of purple clouds stretched across the sky as the sinking sun glowed a deep orange. _'The sun will set soon,'_ she mused

The sound of footsteps behind her snapped her out of her reverie. Hope appeared at the doorway, a small suitcase in hand. "You've got one too, so I thought I'd carry some things just in case."

"You don't need to justify yourself, you know."

"I know, but I felt like it."

After bidding goodbye to Hope's parents, the two of them set off towards the station. _'It's going to be quite the journey,'_ she thought, looking up at the darkening orange sky.

She heard a chuckle beside her. "What's so funny?" she asked, turning her head to face him as they walked.

"Oh nothing really…I was just wondering how you got this address."

"Serah gave it to me. She said she got it from her university." She paused, confused. "Why?"

He looked up at the sky. "It's just…a coincidence, that's all," he replied, a small smile on his face. "Because I don't live here – I have my own apartment, in the city. I just visit my parents on weekends." He glanced at her. "If you'd come here a day later, you would've missed me."

"Oh." Was all she said, but there was a deeper meaning behind it.

_'__One day later, and he wouldn't have been here. Was I just lucky? Or was it something else…?'_

A small smile played upon her lips as she walked forward. _'I guess I'll just have to wait and see.'_

* * *

_That's it for this chapter, though I might post the next one tomorrow. I'm still working on the third, and I hope to wrap this up within five or six chapters in total._

_Please do leave a review! I really appreciate the feedback!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Okay, so as per a suggestion by MidnightFenrir, this fic is going to be under the Romance genre from now on. I'm a little nervous, since there are a lot of Hoperai authors who do a really great job with the ship, while I, being a huge fan of their platonic relationship, spend more time on banter and the like instead of fluff. But I'll try to do my best with this fic - please leave a review if you have any suggestions or comments!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own FFXIII or its characters._

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Aftermath: Chapter 2

The last rays of sunlight faded from the sky, and the world outside the train was cast in darkness. The occasional light from a house cut through the darkness, but they were few and far between.

Lightning looked away from the window, her face still resting in her palm, and chose to observe her travelling companion instead. He was seated across from her, reading a book that he had brought along for the train ride. When she had questioned him about it, he had replied by saying, "I know you aren't big on conversation, Light. So if I'm reading this, you won't be forced to talk to me."

She had almost laughed. _'He knows me too well,' _she had thought at the time. But now, the silence between them seemed to drag on and on. She was _bored_.

She glanced at his hair, then his hands as they held the book – she could hardly believe how much he had changed. Granted, she had watched him grow from her seat in Valhalla, but the differences were more obvious now that she was with him in person. She had grown used to seeing him as a child, even in Nova Chrysalia, when his mind and soul had still been those of a man.

Yet, despite the changes, sitting with him now was not uncomfortable. Just…different. Hope was still Hope, after all, no matter what he looked like.

"What are you reading?" she blurted out suddenly. He glanced up at her, confused, and she felt a strong urge to slap herself. But then, he smiled.

"It's the story of a man who became Father Time," he replied. "Would you like to read the back?"

He made a motion to close the book, but she shook her head. "No, it's okay. Just a second." She rose from her seat and moved to sit beside him. "Keep reading. I'll…watch you read, or something."

Hope chuckled. "Are you really _that_ bored, Light?"

She smirked in response. "Says the one who's been stuck on the same page for the last fifteen minutes."

His eyes grew wide, and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!" he exclaimed, and she bit back a smile. _'Now that's more like the Hope I knew when he was a kid. It was always easy to get him flustered.'_

"I couldn't concentrate with you staring at me like that," he huffed. "It was driving me nuts. Was there something on my face? Did my hair catch fire when I wasn't looking?"

This time, she let out a short laugh. "You're ridiculous," she told him, shaking her head. "Just get back to your book. I'll try not to get in your way."

"You're sure you don't just want me to stop? We could just talk instead."

"…I'll pass."

He sighed. "Whatever you say, Light."

xxxxx

A while later, Hope felt a weight against his shoulder. He glanced down only to see that Lightning had fallen asleep in her seat. At some point she had shifted so that her back was now resting against his side, her head leaning back on his shoulder for support. Realising that this was probably unintentional (not to mention uncomfortable), he prodded her in the back with his elbow, hoping that she would wake up. Instead, however, she mumbled something in her sleep and lifted her legs onto the seat, leaning even further against him.

'_Well, at least she looks more comfortable now,'_ he thought, closing the book and placing it in the bag beside him with as little movement as he could manage. He then leaned back and closed his eyes.

'_She finally let her guard down,' _he mused as he began to doze off, a small smile on his face.

xxxxx

"-ight? …Light? Wake up…"

Lightning opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times in a weak attempt to focus her gaze. The first thing she saw was the battered ceiling of the train compartment they were in. She leaned her head back a little further, and the second thing she saw was the corner of Hope's face.

"Uh, we're almost at our stop," he said, and his voice snapped her back to reality. With a start, she pushed herself off of him, moving a few inches away on the seat.

'_I passed out on him?! Why didn't he wake me up? Unless he tried…and it didn't work.'_ She heaved a sigh and raised a hand to her forehead, refusing to meet his gaze as her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry about that, Hope. I must've been pretty heavy."

He grinned sheepishly. "Don't worry about it. I used to fall asleep on you all the time back in the Gapra Whitewood, remember?"

She smiled. There was no way she could forget the days and nights they had spent hiding from patrols, huddled together in the translucent foliage. During those moments, she had not been Lightning the soldier, but Lightning the protector. It had almost made her feel like a normal human being again.

"…and the numbness in my side should wear off soon enough," he finished with something akin to a smirk on his face. The nostalgic cloud around her dissipated.

She grunted and punched him in the arm. "That should help."

xxxxx

When they stepped out of the train, Lightning glanced around, surprised. She had expected a mechanic to be situated in the midst of a bustling town. Instead, this platform was located practically in the middle of nowhere, not much different from the one near Hope's house.

It was still early in the morning and dawn was barely breaking, but the small coffee shop at the station was open. Hope offered to buy them a snack and walked towards the shop, while Lightning sat down at a bench and pulled out the map her sister had printed out for her.

"_You can find just about anything on the Internet," _Serah had told her. _"Here's a general location, though you might still have to ask for directions when you get there."_

Lightning had nodded. _"How hard could it be?" _she had replied at the time. But now, she wasn't so sure. She could see their current location and the location of the repair shop, but she had no idea how long it would take to get there. "We don't have any kind of transport..." she muttered to herself. "What if it's too far to get to on foot?"

She placed her head in her hands. "I hate how useless I am in this world..."

This was how Hope found her when he returned, his suitcase in one hand and a bag containing sandwiches in the other. "Something wrong, Light?" he asked, and she snapped her head up to look at him.

'_Always worried...just like back in Nova Chrysalia.' _She shook her head. "I'm fine," she insisted, standing up and folding the map in her hands. "Just...wondering how long it'll take for us to find Sazh."

"You know where he is, don't you?"

"Yeah, but..." She unfolded the relevant portion of the map. "This is us." She pointed at an icon representing a train station. "And this is the place we need to get to." This time, she indicated an empty patch of field with an arrow over it, a few inches away. "It's too small to be considered a landmark, and I don't know if we can even walk there."

He studied both points for a few moments. "You're right; this map doesn't indicate a scale, either. Why don't we just ask the station master, or someone in charge?"

She glared at him. "Hope, you realise how small this repair shop is, don't you? How is anyone here supposed to know where it is?"

Hope looked at her, confused. "These people _live_ here, Light," he argued. "If anything, they'll know better than we do."

"I don't need their help!"

"You're being unreasonable!"

She stopped, her eyes wide. Hope looked every bit as frustrated as she felt, and she began to reflect on her words, finding that her argument made less sense the more she thought about it. "I'm sorry..." she sighed. "I...for as long as I can remember, I've always asserted my authority while talking to people. Even back in Bodhum, when I was in the Corps, I spoke to them as a soldier. Later on, as the Saviour, I knew what my role entailed, and that made me confident."

"But in this world...I'm nothing." She glanced at the map, then raised her eyes to meet his. "I can't talk to people like I used to. I'm...afraid to ask anyone for help."

She waited for a reaction. A few seconds passed, but he said nothing. Then, after a minute had gone by, he wordlessly took the map from her hands and walked away.

"Hope, what-"

He continued walking without a word. Lightning began to grow worried. This was a side of him she had never seen before. He had been watching her as she spoke, searching her eyes for something, his gaze cold and unfamiliar. How many times had he used that look on his subordinates, on other people, to get information from them? She refused to think about it. Although she had not flinched under his gaze, she was sure that others had not been as lucky.

When he finally returned, she was afraid to look him in the eye – not out of fear, but because she was ashamed. She knew that her outburst had been unwarranted, and she wondered what he thought of her now. There was a time when he had admired her strength and confidence. What did he think of her now that he knew that she was nothing more than a coward?

"It's about ten minutes away." Hope's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. But contrary to what she had expected, his tone was as casual as always. She took a risk and glanced at him, only to see that he was still poring over her map, like nothing had happened.

"The attendant at the ticket counter said we should follow this path." He gestured at something on the map, and despite herself, Lightning moved to stand beside him, getting a closer look. He was pointing at a fuzzy image of a path that went almost straight to their destination. He raised his hand and her eyes followed as he pointed at a dirt track leading away from the station. "That's the one."

"You're sure?" She looked up at him, but his gaze was still directed forward.

"Positive. And you know, you could've just told me the truth." At this, he glanced down at her. In a mock hurt tone, he added, "I thought you trusted me."

"_You_ of all people should know that I do," she countered, still surprised that he had not reacted more violently. "But I'm sorry." She began to play with her hands. "I didn't want you to think I was weak. You've always had an image of me being strong – I didn't want to ruin it."

"I don't think you're weak, Light," he said with a smile. "We all have our issues. I-"

At that, he paused. Lightning sensed that something was wrong – he looked hesitant, as though he had almost exposed a deep, dark secret. "You…?" she prompted, but he did not respond, choosing instead to shake his head and fold up the map in his hands.

"It's nothing," he replied after a few moments. "Come on, we should start walking."

He reached into the bag on his arm and pulled out a sandwich. "Here. To eat on the way."

She wanted to pry further – ask what was bothering him, what had caused his sudden change in mood. But she finally decided against it. _'Maybe there are some things I'm better off not knowing,'_ she thought to herself, remembering his icy gaze from earlier.

Together, they set off on the path to find Sazh.

* * *

_Can anyone guess which book Hope was reading on the train? It should be an easy one. :U_


	3. Chapter 3

_This is a pretty short update, and it's more of a filler chapter. But I hope that what it lacks in plot advancement, it makes up for with (some) background development! I'm already halfway through writing the next chapter though, so it should be up soon. Until then, enjoy, and please let me know what you think!_

___Disclaimer: I do not own FFXIII or its characters._

* * *

Aftermath: Chapter 3

They followed the path, making casual conversation as they walked. Lightning could still sense that her comrade was hiding something from her, and the urge to question him grew stronger. But she decided against it, knowing that he wouldn't give her an honest answer anyway. He had adopted many of her habits over the years, and this was one of them. Instead, they talked about their lives in the new world, while eating their sandwiches.

Lightning was not surprised to hear about Hope's research accomplishments. On the other hand, _he_ was surprised to learn about her relatively idyllic lifestyle. While Serah continued her teaching career at a university and Snow took up various odd jobs as they came along, she had opted to stay at home instead of looking for a job.

"I'd assumed you'd get restless with nothing to do," he told her.

"You're not wrong," she replied. "But the only thing I was ever good at was fighting, and our town doesn't need guards or soldiers of any kind. I jog around town every morning to keep myself active, but that's about it."

They arrived at the small shop within fifteen minutes. As expected, it was more like a small open garage, filled with old cars and spare parts. Two men were inside, tinkering with an automobile that looked to be way past its prime. Lightning glanced around, and Hope did the same, but there was no sign of Sazh.

Hope leaned towards her so he could whisper in her ear. "Are you sure this is the place Light? A lot of these cars look more like scrap metal than repair jobs."

Inexplicably, her cheeks reddened at his close proximity. She batted him away and strode forward, clearing her throat to catch the mechanics' attention. They glanced up from their work and stared openly at her, but she did not flinch.

"We're looking for a man named Sazh Katzroy. We heard he works here."

"Ah, Mr. Katzroy? The guy with the kid son?" The younger of the two men asked, and she nodded. He let out a laugh. "Sure, he works here."

"He came in one day, said he knew his way around airplanes," the other man told them. "We didn't think he'd be much help with car repairs, but he got us out of a few big scrapes. We owe him a lot."

"Where is he now?" Hope chimed in. "We'd like to meet him. We're old friends of his."

"He doesn't live too far from here. About twenty minutes away, if you're driving."

"We aren't. Can't we walk?"

The older man shook his head. "Wouldn't recommend it. The terrain being how it is, it'd take you about an hour on foot."

"We don't have a car, so we don't have a choice." Lightning sighed. "Looks like this is going to be more complicated than I thought."

"Wait." The younger mechanic stood up and walked to the back of the shop, approaching a large object covered with a tarp. He pulled the sheet off to reveal an old-fashioned white convertible. It looked good enough to be brand new, and had two seats.

"This is Mr. Katzroy's car," he told them. "He leaves it here when it needs a new paint job. I just finished with it yesterday, so you could take it to him if you'd like."

Lightning thought about this for a moment. _'It's tempting…but I don't even have a driver's license in this world. Looks like we'll be going on foot after all.'_

She opened her mouth to refuse the offer, but Hope spoke before she could say anything. "Alright, we'll take it."

_'__Is he joking?!' _She cast him a sidelong glance, hoping that her incredulous expression would tip him off. Sure enough, he turned to her.

"Don't worry, Light. I've got my license with me." He fumbled around in his pockets and retrieved a wallet – inside it was a bunch of cards, including a driver's license with his name, details and face on it.

"Is this…real?" she asked, reaching out to take it in her hands. She turned the card over multiple times as though looking for signs that it was forged, and Hope let out a laugh.

"Of course it is. I'm _27_, Light. I drive all the time – it was _my_ car parked in the driveway back at my parents' house."

Her lips formed a silent 'o' as she took in this information. _'I keep forgetting he isn't a kid anymore.'_

Then, she mentally slapped herself. _'We could've driven here instead of taking the train! Why didn't he mention it before?!' _But she said nothing more as she watched the two mechanics tow the car out of the garage and onto the road. Hope tossed their bags in the trunk, then sat in the driver's seat and looked over the controls.

"Are you sure you don't mind us taking this car?"

The older of the two men shook his head. "One of us would've taken it to him anyway." He grinned. "You'll be saving us a trip."

The younger mechanic handed Hope a piece of paper. "Here, I drew you a road map." The two of them discussed the route, while Lightning sat down in the passenger seat, fastening her seatbelt.

"Sure you can drive this thing, Hope?" she asked, eyeing the steering wheel and gear stick. The controls were completely different from those in the vehicles of Cocoon, and she wondered how long it had taken him to learn how to drive in this world.

Hope thanked the mechanics, who then returned to the garage to continue their work. She watched him as he turned to the steering wheel, fiddling with something underneath it. "I'm on it," was his brief response, and as if on cue, the engine roared to life.

He grinned. "Let's go."

xxxxx

As they drove to Sazh's house, Lightning cast Hope a sidelong glance. She vaguely noted that she had been doing that a lot. _'It must be because he looks so different in person. I'm still not used to it.'_

The wind whipped through her hair, tossing it in every direction, but his hair remained mostly untouched. The white locks glinted in the morning sunlight, and she suddenly wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through his hair. She found herself reaching for him and caught herself at the last minute, pulling her hand away and using it to shield her eyes from the sun's rays.

_'__What am I doing?! One minute I'm thinking about how he's changed, the next I'm trying to pet him like he's a sheep? Something's wrong with me…'_

She shook her head in an attempt to distract herself, and rested her arm on the top of the car door. She gazed at the fields that they drove past, distantly wondering whether he had noticed her strange behaviour.

"Y'know, you're really fidgety, Light."

She nearly jumped in her seat before turning around and meeting his eyes. He was looking right at her, an amused expression on his face.

"Keep your eyes on the road," she told him, trying to sound strict but failing miserably. He obeyed anyway, giving her a brief nod before turning his attention back to the road.

After a few moments of silence, he spoke. "Ever since we set out on this journey, it feels like I've seen so many different sides to you, sides that I never saw when I was a kid. Back then, you were just the stoic, confident soldier that I looked up to. You didn't trust anyone. And it was the same on Nova Chrysalia."

"I trusted you then. I took your advice, didn't I?" she replied defensively.

"You did, but you rarely confided in me." She knew that that was true, and said nothing in response.

"Of course, you were right to do that," he continued. "But today, I saw you let your guard down. You fell asleep on me on the train, and you told me that you felt unconfident talking to people. You were honest with me, and I'd like to think that means you trust me now. So…thanks, Light."

Lightning was stunned. She had no way to respond to his words, because she had only just realised it herself. _'He really has grown into a person I can rely on, and I've been doing just that all day.'_

Lost in thought, she almost didn't catch the words that he said next, barely above a whisper.

"I hope I can be honest with you too, someday."


	4. Chapter 4

_I forgot to put this into the last chapter, but thanks for the guess xxviolettxx - you were absolutely right! I finished reading Mitch Albom's 'The Time Keeper' a few weeks ago and I thought it was an appropriate book for Hope to be reading on the train. And thank you for the encouragement - I'll keep doing my best with this story!_

_I'd also like to thank all the people who have faved and followed Aftermath. Knowing that you like this fic and anticipate updates makes me even more eager to churn out chapters as fast as possible. If you've got any feedback or suggestions, do let me know!_

_And of course, a big thank you to my reviewers: MidnightFenrir, __xxviolettxx, TheMysteriousGeek2345, and Guest No.1 (thank you, and I guarantee that you'll find out what Hope's issue is...eventually. ;D). Your reviews keep me going!_

___This A/N is a little long, but I hope that this chapter is worth it...please enjoy!_

___Disclaimer: I do not own FFXIII or its characters.  
_

* * *

Aftermath: Chapter 4

After a few wrong turns (and some impatient murmuring from Lightning), they finally reached the place marked on Hope's road map – a narrow lane with houses along both sides. Sazh's house was a single-story villa, painted yellow, with a large garage beside it. Behind it she saw a wide open stretch of land, at least three times as large as the house, surrounded by a low fence.

They parked the car by the side of the road and walked up to the front door. Aside from the sounds of nature, the area was silent.

"Do you think anyone's home?" Hope's question mirrored her thoughts, and she shook her head briefly.

"Dunno. It seems pretty quiet." She rang the doorbell. When there was no response, she rang it again and tried to glance through the parted curtains around the window. "It's dark inside, too."

"He might be out," her companion suggested. But before she could respond, they heard the sound of footsteps dashing through the house. After a few moments, the door swung open and Sazh stood in the doorway. His clothes were covered in mud and he wore gloves on his hands, but his expression morphed into a familiar grin as soon as he set his eyes on his visitors.

"Soldier girl!" he exclaimed, pulling off his gloves. "Been wondering when you'd show up." He almost reached forward to hug her, but stopped at the last minute, realising that he would probably end up getting mud all over her pristine white shirt. So he settled for a handshake instead.

"Good to see you too, old man," she teased, an uncharacteristic smile on her face. She patted his shoulder with her free hand, her grin widening at the dumbfounded expression on his face.

He shook his head. "Lightning _grinning_…never thought I'd see the day." He stepped aside. "Why don't you come on in?"

As she entered the house, she heard him greet Hope as he trailed behind her. "And if it isn't Hope! Great to see you back to normal, kid."

"I'm not a kid anymore!" she heard Hope whine, and she bit back a laugh.

"Everyone's a kid once you get to be my age," Sazh sighed, closing the door behind him. "C'mon, I'll show you two around."

The inside of the house was mostly dark, lit in patches by the natural light that flooded in through the windows. They walked through a hallway and into a sitting room, where he instructed them to wait while he fetched them refreshments.

"You two must've come a long way, and I'm not lettin' you leave without a snack," he told them in a fatherly tone, before ducking out of the room. Lightning and Hope sat down in separate armchairs and silently looked around the room. The furnishings were simple – a few sofas and a centre table, and a television mounted inside a cabinet with a bookcase on either side. One of the cases was filled with novels; the other contained small figurines, some of which looked like they had been made by a child. Lightning smiled. _'Those must be Dajh's.'_

"Where's Dajh?" Hope asked, echoing her thoughts, and she looked away from the bookscase only to see that Sazh had re-entered the room. He was holding a tray that contained a plate of sandwiches and three glasses of lemonade. He placed the tray on the table and sat down in a nearby recliner, leaning back and making himself comfortable.

"Help yourselves," he said, indicating the tray, and the two of them grabbed a glass each. Sazh picked up his own glass and took a small sip.

"Dajh's spending the day over at Vanille and Fang's place," he answered calmly. He then grinned as he watched their expressions change from relaxed to shocked in a matter of seconds.

"You know where they are?! Are they close by?" Hope asked excitedly, and Lightning fought to suppress her surprise as well. _'I didn't expect to find them this fast.'_

Sazh nodded. "They live about an hour's drive away. They're plannin' on settin' up some kind of petting zoo, out here in the country."

"Well, Vanille always _did_ like small animals."

"Now that you know they're here, I hope you two won't run out on me to go find them," Sazh joked.

"Of course not," Lightning insisted, shaking her head. "You're a friend, too. And we came here to visit _you_ first."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I gotta say…I'm flattered."

They spoke for hours, asking Sazh about his life after arriving in the new world with his son. Lightning told him how Serah had tracked him down via the Internet. She had run his name through a search engine and found it on the repair shop's website. Upon hearing this, he laughed.

"So _that's_ how you found me? And I'll bet you drove my car here, too."

When Hope nodded, Sazh turned to Lightning. "So? How's the kid's driving?"

A pause. Then, "He's reckless. He doesn't watch the road, and he drives with one hand when he thinks I'm not looking." She shot the younger man a mock glare, and the incredulous expression on his face was priceless.

"At…at least I _can_ drive!" he retorted weakly, sitting up in his armchair and drawing himself up to his full height in order to look more mature. But the pout on his face made him look more like a child than Lightning had seen all day, and she shook her head with a faint smile, knowing that she had won this round.

By this point, Sazh was in hysterics. They turned to him as his laughter died down and he wiped a tear from his eye.

"Been a while since I last laughed that much," he said, still grinning. "You two sure know how to cheer an old man up."

"We weren't really trying-"

"You sure 'bout that?" He raised an eyebrow. "'cause if you weren't, then I'd say you've gotten a lot closer since I last saw you both. That exchange right there was proof."

Hope flushed slightly, shrinking back in his seat, and Lightning's cheeks turned pink. "And how exactly did _that_ _exchange_ prove anything?" she asked.

"C'mon. Even _I_ could see through that fake glare of yours, Lightning." She gave him an icy look, but he only shrugged in response. "I'm just glad to see you're relyin' on someone else for once, is all."

"A-anyway." She cleared her throat, intent on changing the subject. "Why were you surprised when we said we found you through that repair shop?"

"Ah, that." He shifted in his chair. "I just tinkered around there for a little while. I got most of their cars and gizmos working pretty quickly. Then, they gave me a challenge – that jalopy you drove here. It was a wreck when I first saw it, but I had it fixed up in a couple of days. They let me keep it, as a present. If my_ name's_ on their website, they must've been _really_ impressed."

"So…you don't actually _work_ there?"

He shook his head. "I still drop by sometimes, but…farming's the only thing this old man's good for these days."

Hope looked at him with surprise. "You have a farm?"

Sazh grinned. "C'mon, I'll show you."

xxxxx

He led them into the kitchen and stopped in front of the back door. "This here's my pride and joy," he told them, pulling the door open to reveal the backyard. The entire plot had been converted into a large farm, surrounded by large bushes on all sides. An orchard had been planted near the back fence, and a few other trees were scattered between the small fields to provide shade. Each field appeared to be growing a different kind of vegetable – Lightning identified carrots, beans, cabbages, and various others.

"It's like Canopus Farms, only bigger," she whispered, stepping outside and looking around in awe.

"Mm-hmm," Sazh hummed in agreement. "Back then, I was in a real slump. Didn't wanna see anybody, so I hid myself and Dajh away on that cliff that no one could get to." He sighed. "But, you know, a man's gotta eat. So I came down every now and then, and I talked to the locals. Learned everything I could about farming from them, and I thought I'd try it out here."

"It really is impressive, Sazh," Hope told him, examining a nearby plant. "That orchard at the back though…did it come with the house? Those trees couldn't have grown _that_ fast."

"You've got a good eye, son. All the trees were already here when we moved in. I planted everything else, though."

He gave them a brief tour of the farm, pointing out different fruits and vegetables. Because they were mostly self-sufficient, Sazh rarely needed to visit the nearby town for food, unless they wanted meat or other animal products. But because of this, he and Dajh had not had many opportunities to interact with other people. But one day, they ran into Fang and Vanille in town. Since then, the two "families" had kept in constant touch, visiting each other every weekend.

"I appreciate you comin' all this way," he told them seriously. "And I'm sure Vanille and Fang will, too. You should go see 'em – it's gettin' close to noon, so you'd better set out."

"But we haven't finished catching up yet!" Hope insisted. "There's still so much to talk about…"

"Don't worry about that," Sazh told him with a wave of his hand. "We can catch up at their place. I'll drop by later to pick up Dajh, so I'll see you two then."

Before Hope could interject, he said, "Oh, and you can take the car. I've got another one, anyway. Just…drive carefully," he finished with a wink.

Hope ran a hand through his hair, embarrassed. "You got it."

xxxxx

After saying their goodbyes, they set off once again, following the directions they had received from Sazh. The drive would be longer this time, but the route seemed more straightforward.

"It was nice seeing you act like a kid again," she told him as they drove along, the wind whipping through her hair yet again. He cast her a sidelong glance, puzzled.

"What do you mean, Light?"

"I meant to say that I got to see a different side to you, too, Hope." She smiled. "You weren't trying to act serious or mature – you really loosened up around Sazh."

"Well, he was always an easy person to talk to," Hope replied, not once glancing away from the road. "He…was like a father to me. To all of us, even during the few years after the Purge, before he vanished. It's hard _not_ to be comfortable around him."

"So…" She hesitated. "Does that mean you're uncomfortable around me?"

He shook his head, his hair fluttering in the wind. "Of course not, Light. That's not true at all."

"So why are you always so serious around me? Why do you try so hard to act your age?"

He did not respond immediately. Then, she saw a faint blush spread across his cheeks. "It's…different when it comes to you, Light."

"How is it different?" She didn't understand – even his reaction didn't make sense. _'Why is he blushing?'_

"I-" He cleared his throat, seemingly bracing himself for the words he was about to say. "I don't need to prove to Sazh that I've matured. He's seen it first-hand. But you…" A pause. "You've only ever seen me as a _kid_ in person."

He took a deep breath and looked her in the eye, if but for a moment. "I-I want to show you that I'm capable of something more. That I'm old enough…and strong enough to protect you now."

Lightning did not respond for a few moments, as she processed his words in her mind. Then, her expression softened. She reached across and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't need to prove anything to me, Hope. I've already seen you accomplish so much during your lifetime, and I know that you're more than capable of protecting me. That is, if we ever need to fight again in this world," she finished with a short laugh.

He let out a soft laugh of his own. "…I guess you're right," he replied, still smiling faintly. Then, he broke eye contact and turned his attention to the road. Satisfied, she looked away from him and watched their surroundings, as she had done before.

_'__All this time he thought I didn't see him as an adult? Well, it sounds like he's convinced now.'_

She did not see the look of disappointment that crossed his face when she looked away.


	5. Chapter 5

_I'm so sorry for taking so long to post this! I wasn't satisfied with many sections as I wrote them, and so it took me a long time to make this chapter publish-worthy. I was writing for a while because I didn't quite know where to stop, and so it resulted in this extra long chapter. So please consider it an apology for making you all wait this long!_

_This chapter is full of monologue, but I also tried to include more Hoperai, in a way. It's just going to get fluffier from here on out, so please look forward to it!_

_Once again, thank you so much for the follows and faves - and a MASSIVE thank you to my reviewers: MidnightFenrir, sillyrabbitp, xviolettx, TheMysteriousGeek2345, wanderlustsea, and kwerk. You guys are amazing, and I'll do my best to post the next chapter as soon as I can._

_Disclaimer: I do not own FFXIII or its characters._

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Aftermath: Chapter 5

For the next hour, they drove on in silence. Lightning gazed out at the passing fields, but in her mind she continued to contemplate what Hope had said earlier.

_'__I-I want to show you that I'm capable of something more. That I'm old enough…and strong enough to protect you now.'_

Upon hearing those words, her heart had skipped a beat. Simple as they were, they had seemed to imply so much more. She had felt an unfamiliar emotion rising up within her – embarrassment? Had she felt flattered, or was it something else? At that moment, she had convinced herself that she was reading too much into his words, and so she had taken them at face value, replying in kind. He had responded positively to her words, with a smile and a laugh. But now, she was beginning to regret what she had said.

_'__What if he __did__ mean something else? How would I know?'_

Lightning had never been particularly good at reading people. After losing her parents and enlisting in the Guardian Corps, she had begun to see how shallow the world around her really was, and she had gradually found herself drifting away from people and withdrawing further into herself. She had kept interactions with others to a minimum, and not until becoming the Saviour had she ever felt the need to talk to as many people as she could within the span of a day. And even then, she had never taken the effort to get to know people; to read their mannerisms and expressions and try to gauge what they were thinking.

Hope, however, was a different matter altogether. He was more than just 'one of those people' – he was a _friend_, a comrade-in-arms. Her _partner_. She had acknowledged him as such centuries ago, and even more so during Nova Chrysalia's final days. And considering all the time they had spent in each other's company, she had assumed that she would be able to read him better than anyone. After all, he could always tell what _she_ was thinking. Then again, he had always had a knack for perception…

She heaved a sigh and decided to try again, carefully contemplating his earlier reaction. His laugh had been soft, almost forced, and his smile had not reached his eyes. His response afterwards had seemed normal…maybe a little detached. Not to mention how unusually quiet he was being now…

It was suddenly clear to her that she had not interpreted his words correctly.

_'__If that's the case, what did he really mean to say…?'_

The answer was obvious, but she did not want to acknowledge it. She knew that she was being selfish, but she was happy with the way things were now – the camaraderie between them was more than she could have ever expected to have with someone outside her family. She was worried about what would happen to their current relationship if she acknowledged any possible feelings he had for her.

…even if she wasn't sure whether those feelings existed in the first place.

_'__But you aren't just worried about __his__ feelings, are you?'_ a voice taunted from within her mind. And despite her strong urge to refute her mind's claim, she knew that it was true. More often than not, she had caught herself watching him during their journey. And although at first she had assumed it was just because of his older appearance, she knew now that it was not the case. There was something different about him; almost captivating, in a sense. And she had found herself unable to tear her gaze away.

Even now, as she cast him a sidelong glance, she thought about how far they had come together, how lost she would have been if he had not come along with her on this journey. And as they continued to drive on, she tried not to acknowledge the fact that her feelings for him were steadily changing.

xxxxx

Fang and Vanille's house was situated just off the main road. It was an independent house, located atop a hill, and to most people it would have seemed like it was located in the middle of nowhere. But the height provided a beautiful view of the countryside, and being surrounded by vast fields, it appeared to be the perfect place to set up a petting zoo.

_'__It suits them perfectly,'_ Hope thought to himself as he guided the car into a lane that led directly to their doorstep. He parked the car and chanced a look at Lightning, but she still appeared to be immersed in her thoughts.

He sighed softly. Ever since their last conversation, it seemed like she had been silently re-evaluating what he had said. If she had been restless during the drive, he had not noticed it; in an attempt to distract himself, he had chosen to concentrate fully on the road, and their entire drive had been engulfed in a stifling aura of silence.

Hope did not have the words to describe how much he regretted saying those words to Lightning. He realised that, by now, she had probably figured out what he had really meant, and she was probably just trying to come up with the kindest way to turn him down.

When had his feelings for her evolved beyond simple admiration? When had his desire to bring back the most important women in his life, evolved into a desire to protect Lightning, and Lightning only? He slowly sifted through centuries' worth of memories, finally remembering the day when Serah and Noel had left to confront Caius.

_Vanille and Fang were safe, now that he knew that their crystals had been extracted from the pillar. But Lightning…she was still trapped in a realm outside of time; a realm she could not leave, no matter how strong her desire. If anything happened to her, there would be nothing he could do to protect her. He contemplated this as he awaited his friends' return from Valhalla, hoping that they would be able to bring her back somehow. _

_Everything that happened after that was a blur. Noel and Serah returned victorious after their battle with Caius, landing safely on Sazh's airship. But their happiness was short-lived; not long after their arrival, Serah had a vision of the future, and it killed her. By the time he managed to get to them, she was already dead._

_The future, their plan…it was all falling apart right before his eyes. Beside him, Noel clutched Serah's lifeless body to his own, while he chose to stand in silence. The shock of her death still weighed heavily upon both of them. He felt powerless, helpless to stop the Chaos that was steadily flooding into the world. But when his gaze finally landed upon the familiar temple ruins materialising in the distance, he felt a glimmer of hope stir within his heart._

_'__Valhalla is merging with this world. Lightning…if she's still there, she could help us.' His heart began to race at the mere thought of seeing her again. He boarded an airship at once and took off for the ruins, praying that he would find her alive._

_But what he finally found was far from what he had expected – Lightning was seated upon the Goddess Etro's throne, locked in an eternal crystal sleep. Upon seeing her crystallized form, he fell to his knees._

_'__I wanted to bring you back…more than anything…but not like this.'_

Hope shook his head to clear away the memories. He glanced at the woman beside him and smiled. She was here now, _alive_, and after all that they had been through, that was all that mattered. This Lightning was different from the soldier he had admired as a child. The confident, untouchable soldier suddenly seemed more hesitant and vulnerable – likely a side-effect of her accepting her childhood self. But it did not change the way he felt about her; rather, his desire to protect her and be by her side had only grown stronger now that he had realised that he was capable of doing so.

But he was afraid. If she recognised his feelings and began to distance herself from him, he would never be able to forgive himself – their bond meant more to him than anything. And there was still the fact that he was hiding something from her; something that he knew would _definitely_ destroy their current relationship, even if his feelings for her did not. He did not want to hide anything from _Lightning_, of all people, and yet he could not bring himself to tell her the truth.

_'__If she ever found out, she would hate me for sure.'_

xxxxx

"We're here, Light."

Hope's words pulled Lightning out of her thoughts. She looked in his direction and saw that he was standing beside the car, waiting for her. "Right. Sorry," she replied, fumbling with her seatbelt and getting out of the car. He had already turned away and started walking towards the house, so she smoothed down the folds in her shirt and made to follow him.

She caught up to him easily, and they soon fell into stride. "It's your turn to ring the doorbell this time," she said lightly. Hope did not miss the teasing tone in her voice – she sounded unexpectedly casual, and it did not seem like she was making a conscious effort to avoid him. He briefly wondered if she had noticed his indirect confession at all.

_'__I guess she was just thinking about something else on the way here.' _He heaved a mental sigh of relief. _'Looks like I was worried for nothing.'_

When they finally reached the front porch, Hope stepped forward and rang the doorbell. Almost instantly, they heard sock-clad feet running over floorboards, and within moments, Vanille's face greeted them at the door.

As soon as she set her eyes on Hope, her smile grew and she flung her arms around his neck. His younger self would have stood in place, unresponsive, but he gladly returned the hug, going so far as to lift her a few inches off the ground with a triumphant laugh. Vanille let out a shocked squeak that gradually dissolved into laughter as he quickly set her down.

Lightning watched the exchange with a small smile on her face. The enthusiastic reunion distantly reminded her of Serah and Snow when they had finally found each other in this world. She, on the other hand, had only hugged them both briefly, and no more than that. Enthusiastic greetings had always been far from her comfort zone.

_'__I wonder if I could ever be that close to anyone…'_ The thought crossed her mind, and she let out a soft sigh. She continued to watch as Hope and Vanille's laughter finally died down.

"You're taller than me now!" Vanille exclaimed. She raised her hand and moved to compare their heights, and he chuckled again.

"Taller and _older_, too," he clarified with a smile, pushing her arm away. "I'm technically the second-eldest in the group now."

"Not if you count our years in crystal! Fang and I are practically relics!" They both shared another laugh, and Vanille stepped out onto the porch, glancing around. "So, is it just you? Or are Snow and Lightning with you as well?"

"Just Light," he replied, turning to glance at the woman standing behind him, before moving aside. Lightning gave him a questioning look, but he simply nodded, and she took that as her cue to step forward.

"It's…good to see you again, Vanille," she said, with a shy smile and a small wave. The younger girl let out a gasp. She hesitated slightly, before throwing all caution to the wind and wrapping her arms around the former soldier. Lightning stood rigidly in place, unsure of how to respond.

"Thank you Lightning…for everything," she heard the girl whisper into her shoulder, and she finally understood. The Soulsong…if Lightning and Fang had not intervened, it would have resulted in Vanille sacrificing her life for a futile cause. With a soft sigh, she loosened up and placed an arm around the younger girl's shoulders.

"Don't worry about it," she said, making no effort to hide the smile in her voice. "I'm sure you would have done the same for me."

"What's all the fuss about Vani – oh." A familiar voice interrupted the reunion, and Fang came into view at the doorway. "Well, look who it is! Sunshine and the kid, in the flesh!"

Before Hope could open his mouth to protest, Fang interrupted him. "Well, I suppose you aren't a kid anymore, are ya?" She gave him a wink and a pat on the back, and he responded with a bashful grin.

"Well, what're you all standin' out here for? Come on in!" The dark-haired woman gestured them over with a wave of her hand, turning to allow them room to enter the house.

A smile played upon Lightning's lips. "You haven't changed at all, Fang," she said as she walked up the front steps. Hope and Vanille entered the house first, but when she drew closer, Fang slung an arm around her shoulders, holding her back for a moment.

"Can't say the same 'bout you, Light-bug. You seem…different. _Softer_."

Lightning raised an eyebrow at her choice of words, but Fang did not bother to elaborate. She continued to usher them all into the entrance hall, closing the door behind them.

The inside of the house was bright and full of plant life – _'Probably Vanille's idea'_, Hope and Lightning thought in unison. The two women paused to have a brief conversation, and Lightning took a moment to take in their attire. Vanille wore a bright tank top and skirt, while Fang sported a purple t-shirt and knee-length shorts. _'It looks like they didn't have any trouble adapting to this new world,' _she wondered as Vanille ducked into the kitchen and Fang led them into the dining room.

Yet another familiar face was seated at the head of the table. "We've got some guests, Dajh," Fang called out, and the boy glanced up from what he was doing. "You might recognise 'em."

His gaze landed on Lightning and his smile grew wide. "Auntie Lightning!" he exclaimed. "Thanks for helping me back in the Wildlands!"

_'__People keep thanking me today…I don't understand why.'_ "It was your dad who did the _real_ work. You should be thanking _him_, instead."

The boy thought for a moment. "But you were the one who helped my daddy…so he should be thanking you, too!"

She remembered the gratitude in Sazh's eyes and words when she had brought him the fragments of his son's soul, and shook her head. "He doesn't need to."

Then, Dajh noticed the man standing behind Lightning. "Hope's here too!" he exclaimed, and Hope grinned in response.

"Hey, if you're calling Light 'Auntie Lightning', don't I get to be 'Uncle Hope'?" he teased. "After all, I'm older than her, and _way_ older than you now."

Dajh tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm…you're more like…older brother Hope," he replied after a moment. Hope chuckled and moved to stand next to the boy's chair.

"I've never had a little brother, so I guess that works too." He leaned forward and watched as Dajh continued to add colour to his drawing. "What're you working on?"

"It's a chocobo!" the boy exclaimed, holding up the drawing for the rest of the room's occupants to see. Fang nodded, an impressed grin on her face, and Lightning smiled. "Daddy says this world doesn't have any chocobos, but I guess horses are cool, too."

The dark-haired woman walked up to them and ruffled Dajh's hair. "That's right! And we're gonna get you a great big horse soon, aren't we?"

He nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah!"

At that moment, Vanille peeked into the room. "Lunch is ready! I'll bring it in."

xxxxx

As they ate, the friends recounted their experiences upon arriving in the new world. Fang and Vanille told them about how they had found themselves at a different town – Galbana, it was called – and had looked for jobs there. Vanille's outgoing personality had earned her a position as a clerk at an antique store, while Fang had helped out with deliveries. And before finding a home for themselves, they had lived with the shop owner and her family.

"Y'know, for a place this big, this house was actually pretty cheap," Fang told them. "I'm guessin' it was the location. That, and it was a wreck when we first saw it. Either way, it didn't take us more than a few months to save up for it."

"It took a long time to clean this place up," Vanille added. "Everything was a mess. But we did a pretty good job, huh?"

Lightning looked around the room and nodded. "It looks great…but I wonder if this place is too big for just the two of you."

"Well, if Sazh was telling the truth about that petting zoo, I'd say they have more than enough room for it here," Hope offered. Fang let out a laugh in response.

"That started out as a joke! This one-" She jerked her thumb in Vanille's direction. "-was always buying tiny critters from the pet store in town. Before I realised it, we had a room full of 'em. So we decided we might as well make somethin' of it."

"The room isn't even full yet, Fang! There's just two or three…" Vanille replied with a pout. She then stood up and turned to Lightning. "C'mon, I'll show you," she said, latching on to the former soldier's arm and dragging her out of her seat, leading them deeper into the house. Hope and Fang chuckled in unison at Lightning's shocked expression before she disappeared around the corner.

"Should we follow them?" he asked after a few moments.

The dark-haired woman nodded, rising from her seat. "Might as well."

xxxxx

Vanille opened a door to reveal a room containing various large tanks and boxes. Stepping inside, she led them all towards a tall tank in the corner of the room.

"This is Hecaton," she said cheerily, pointing at a large tarantula inside the tank, partially buried in sand. "I called him that because he reminded me of my Eidolon."

Hecaton's legs twitched to indicate movement, and both Hope and Lightning cringed simultaneously. Beside them, Fang smirked.

"Ooh, you guys should see this one, too!" Vanille hurried over to a large box situated by the window, with a tall lamp suspended over it. They followed her and peered inside to see a small tortoise slowly making its way across the box floor.

"Here's Alexander," she said, gently picking up the creature and holding it out for them to see. "I liked him because he was so sturdy and serious. Like your Eidolon, Hope."

Hope glanced between Vanille and the tortoise in her hands. "A _tortoise_…reminded you of my Eidolon?"

She giggled. "I know it's silly, but it's true."

He tentatively reached out and touched its shell. It was smooth and solid under his fingertips, and he was briefly reminded of the times he had climbed aboard Alexander in his Gestalt mode.

"I think…I understand," he said softly.

"There was a gorgeous iguana at the store, too! But Fang didn't let me get it…"

"That thing was huge!" the older woman snapped in response. "And it would've been a pain to take care of, what with its eating habits and-"

As Fang and Vanille continued to bicker, Lightning began to tune out the rest of their conversation. She turned to Hope, who was now cradling the tortoise in his hands. She saw the look of awe in his eyes as he observed the creature, and it filled her heart with warmth.

Almost as though he could sense her eyes on him, he turned to meet her gaze. "Here, try holding him," he said with a smile, and she reached for Alexander with some hesitation. As she took the tortoise from his hands, their fingers brushed, and she felt that familiar warmth again. Her cheeks grew hot and she fought to suppress a blush, focusing instead on the creature in her hands. It looked up at her curiously, and she wondered why it had not made an attempt to struggle out of her hold yet.

"He's a sweetheart, isn't he?" Vanille's words cut through her thoughts. "Someday he'll grow big and strong, and he won't need our support anymore."

Lightning's eyes widened. _'It sounds almost as though she's talking about-' _

Her gaze automatically landed on Hope again. He had his back to her, and she watched as he and Fang shared a laugh over a joke she had not heard. Realisation hit her as she watched his shoulders shake with laughter; taller, broader shoulders that were slowly growing more and more familiar.

_'__All this time, I've been seeing him as a kid who suddenly grew up. But in reality, he's been an adult all along. He's my equal – no, he surpassed me long ago.'_

Centuries ago, she had been his mentor. But somewhere along the way, their roles had been reversed and _he_ had become the one pushing _her_ along, supporting her with a smile on his face. And before long, she had found herself trusting in him and his decisions. It had been months since she had last seen him, since they had defeated Bhunivelze, but the day they had spent together had made her realise how much she had missed him.

_'__He's done so much for me already, but I…I'm so useless in this world...'_

All Lightning had ever been good at was fighting, but now that her skills were no longer required, she had found herself relying heavily on the people around her. Serah had picked up on the technology fast after getting her teaching job, and even without his powers, Snow still had his brute strength. And Hope…he could drive, was a better navigator than she could ever be, and he understood her better than anyone else did. But she had nothing to offer him in return.

'_It was a mistake. How could I have thought that he could…love me? I…could never deserve someone like him.'_

Although it had been her initiative to seek out their friends, she would have gotten nowhere without Hope. She had needed his guidance as the Saviour, and now, she depended on his support even more. He was caring, always concerned for her well-being...his presence was reassuring, and his smile never failed to fill her with happiness. Suddenly, she realised that she could not imagine a world without him by her side.

She raised a trembling hand to touch her cheek, feeling the growing warmth under her fingertips.

_'Is this what it feels like…to be in love?'_

* * *

_For those who aren't aware, Galbana is a reference to Galbana lilies from FFXII - Vaan's brother's favourite flower._

_Alexander being reincarnated as a tortoise is something I saw on Tumblr, and I thought it was cute, so I decided to include a reference to it. I did some research on tarantula and tortoise care while writing the pet segment, but if anything is incorrect, I apologise in advance. I am aware that tortoises generally don't like being held, but considering Alexander's sturdiness and calm demeanour, I assume he wouldn't mind much._

_Please do let me know what you think!_


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